Psychology and mental health

Splitting in hospital treatment

Article Abstract:

Splitting is a concept that describes several different phenomena commonly seen in hospital treatment of psychiatric patients. The authors use it to define situations in which intrapsychic and interpersonal splitting occur simultaneously, recreating the patient's internal object world in the hospital surrounding. In splitting, the patient tends to divide people about whom he or she has ambivalent feelings into glorified saviors and devalued or hated malefactors. Staff members unconsciously identify with projected aspects of the patient and behave accordingly, thus justifying or reinforcing the psychotic behavior. A clearer understanding of splitting in the hospital helps to distinguish between common variants of splitting and to develop strategies to treat the condition. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Comments on the APA panic disorder guideline

Article Abstract:

The guideline forwarded by the American Psychiatric Assn regarding the treatment of patients with panic disorder drew some criticisms from a number of experts in the field. Among the criticisms directed against the guideline are the absence of a discussion on the speculative etiology of the disorder, the effective use of clonazepam, the conflicting results of drug trials, the failure of the guideline to recognize psychodynamic psychotherapy and psychoanalysis as effective treatment modalities and the lack of objective evaluation of the recommended modalities in the guideline.

Finding the "person" in personality disorders

Article Abstract:

Drew Westen thinks that the DSM-IV system, a two-pronged diagnostic system proposed by Hughlings Jackson, was confirmed in a study conducted at the Cambridge Hospital. In the said study, clinicians are found to diagnose personality disorders differently from scientific researchers. In addition, the researchers found that the said classification system is atheoretical in terms of examining the character of other persons. Researchers and practitioners must agree on a single set of standards to avoid diagnostic errors from occurring.